Unit-4

Tidal energy
Spring tide-in both cases, the gravitational pull of the sun is 'added' to the gravitational pull of the
moon on Earth, causing the oceans to bulge a bit more than usual. This means that high tides are
higher and low tides are lower than average. These are called 'spring tides.

Neap tide-seven days after a spring tide—refers to a period of moderate tides when the sun and
moon are at right angles to each other.

An Introduction to Tidal Energy

Tidal energy is a form of hydropower that converts the energy obtained from tides into
useful forms of power, similar to electricity. Tides are created by the gravitational
effect of the moon and the sun on the earth causing cyclical movement of the swell.
One of the strengths of employing power from tidal ranges and tidal aqueducts over
other forms of renewable energy is that the process is entirely predictable.

(Image Will be Updated Soon)

Tidal range technologies make use of the perpendicular difference in height between
high drift and low drift. Systems take the form of tidal drum fires or lagoons that use
turbines in the hedge or lagoon to induce electricity as the drift cataracts into a force.
When the drift outside the hedge recedes, the water retained can also be released
through turbines, which generate electricity.
Tidal sluice creators draw energy from water currents in an analogous way to wind
turbines drawing energy from air currents. Still, because water is 832 times further
thick than air, the eventuality for power generation by an individual tidal turbine can
be lesser than that of also rated wind energy turbines.

Tidal Energy
Tidal energy is a form of renewable energy which is created by converting energy
from tides into electricity using colorful styles. tides are more predictable than the
wind and thus the sun. Although tidal energy is renewable energy, it has traditionally
suffered from fairly high cost and limited vacuity of web spots with sufficiently high
tidal ranges or flow rapidity, therefore constricting its total vacuity. Still, numerous
recent technological developments and advancements, both in design and turbine
technology indicate that the entire vacuity of tidal power could also be important
above preliminarily assumed which profitable and environmental costs could also be
brought down to competitive situations.

The Rance Tidal power factory in France is the world’s first large-scale tidal energy
station. It became functional in 1966. It was the most important tidal power factory in
terms of affairs until the Sihwa Lake Tidal power factory opened in South Korea in
August 2011.

The Principle behind Tidal Energy

Tidal energy is generated from the Earth’s oceanic tides. These tidal swells are the
forces that form due to gravitational magnets wielded by elysian bodies. These forces
produce corresponding movements or currents within the world’s abysses.

Due to the strong magnet to the abysses, a bulge within the water position is made,
causing a short-lived increase in-water position. Now due to Earth’s gyration, this
huge volume of ocean water meets the shallow water conterminous to the oceanfront
and creates a drift. This natural miracle is repetitious and takes place in an unerring
manner, due to the harmonious gyration of the moon’s route around the earth.

A tidal creator is needed to convert the energy of tidal overflows into electricity. The
eventuality of a point for tidal electricity generation is directly commensurable to
lesser tidal variation and better tidal inflow rapidity. These together can dramatically
increase tidal energy generation. As we know Earth’s tides take place due to the
gravitational force of Earth with the Moon and Sun, so the tidal energy is virtually
indefatigable and classified as a renewable energy resource. The movement of tides
causes a loss of energy within the Earth-Moon system.
Uses of Tidal Energy
Tidal Energy is a renewable source of energy like Solar, Geothermal, and Wind
energy. Here are some of the uses of Tidal Energy.
1. Tidal Electricity
The most important use of tidal energy is the generation of Electricity, called
Tidal Electricity. The electric power generated from the tides is reliable as tides
are predictable and uniform in nature.
2. Grain Mills
Tidal Energy has been in use for hundreds of years. Just like the Wind Mills,
Tidal Energy was used for the mechanical crushing of grains in grain mills. To
crush grains. Here, the movement of the turbines powered by tidal energy was
used.
3. Energy Storage
Tidal Energy is also used to store energy in hydroelectric dams, which act as
large energy storage. Tidal Barrages and reservoirs can be modified to store
energy.
4. Provide Protection to Coast During High Storms
Tidal Barrages are capable to prevent damage to the coast during high storms.
They also serve to create easy transport between the two arms of an estuary or
a bay.

Tidal Energy Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages of Tidal Energy
1. Renewable: Tidal energy is a renewable source of energy. It is generated by
the combined effects of the gravitational force of the moon and the sun and the
rotation of the earth.
The power generation in tidal energy is possible due to the difference in the
potential energies of the tides. Different kinds of power generators like stream
generators, tidal barrages, and dynamic tidal power (DTP) use this.
2. Green: Tidal power is an environmentally friendly source of energy. It does
not produce any harmful gas. One of the major benefits of tidal energy is that it
utilizes a very small space for energy production.
 3. Predictable: Tidal currents or waves are highly predictable. High and low tide
develops with the ocean as per some renowned cycles. This makes it easier to
develop a system with exact dimensions to produce energy, as we already have
knowledge of what kind of waves the equipment will be exposed to.
This is the reason that the tidal stream generators are similar to that of wind
turbines.
4. Effective at Low Speeds: It is possible to generate electric power at very low
speeds because the density of water is much more than that of air. Power can
also be generated at a water speed of about 1 m/s.
5. Tides are fluently predictable
6. Affordable to maintain
7. Reliable and renewable source of energy
8. High energy viscosity than other renewable energy forms
9. It produces no hothouse feasts or other waste
10. Vertical-axis turbines and coastal turbines are affordable to make and have a
lower environmental impact
11. Tidal turbines are 80% effective, which is more advanced than solar or wind
energy creators.
12. Drumfires reduce the damage of high tidal surges on the land.

Turbines inside the shower harness the power of tides the same way a swash levee
harnesses the power of a swash. The shower gates are open as the drift rises. At high
drift, the shower gates are near, creating a pool, or tidal lagoon. The water is also
released through the shower’s turbines, creating energy at a rate that can be controlled
by masterminds.

In the United States, there are legal enterprises about aquatic land power and
environmental impact. Investors aren't enthusiastic about tidal energy because there's
not a strong guarantee that it'll make plutocrats or benefit consumers. Masterminds are
working to ameliorate the technology of tidal energy creators to increase the quantum
of energy they produce, to drop their impact on the terrain, and to find a way to earn a
profit for energy companies.

Disadvantages of Tidal Energy

 1. Environmental Challenges: Tidal energy has some adverse effects on marine
life. The rotating blades of the turbine are veritably dangerous. It can
accidentally kill swimming ocean life, although systems like the one in
Strangford feature a security medium that turns off the turbine when marine
creatures approach.
2. Tidal Turbines: In tidal turbines, the primary concern regarding tidal energy
harnesses is the blade strike and trap of marine organisms. As high-speed water
increases the threat of marine lives being pushed near or through these biases.
3. Tidal Shower: Making a shower may change the oceanfront within the bay or
creek, affecting a large ecosystem that depends on tidal apartments. Inhibiting
the inflow of water in and out of the bay may beget fresh turbidity and lower
saltwater. It can end in the death of fish that act as a vital food source to
catcalls and mammals.
4. Tidal Lagoon: Generally, the threat associated with tidal lagoon is blade strike
on fish trying to enter the lagoon, the aural affair from turbines, and changes in
sedimentation processes.

Characteristics of Tidal Energy

Tidal energy is produced by the swelling of ocean waters during the rise and fall of
tides. It may be a renewable source of energy.

During the 20th century, masterminds developed ways to use tidal movement to
induce electricity in areas where there is a significant tidal range — the difference in
area between high drift and low drift. All styles use special creators to convert tidal
energy into electricity.

Tidal energy products are still in their immaturity. The quantum of power produced so
far has, thus, been small. There are many marketable-sized tidal power shops
operating in the world. The first was located in La Rance, France. The largest
installation is the Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station in South Korea.

The United States has no tidal shops and only many spots where tidal energy could be
produced at a reasonable price. China, France, England, Canada, and Russia have far
more implicit use of this sort of energy.
Tidal Energy Generator

The energy obtained from the rise and fall of tides is called tidal energy.

Tidal barrages or dams are constructed across a narrow opening to the sea. Water rushes into
the dam when the sea level rises. This moves the blades of the turbines which are attached at
the opening of the dam. This results in the generation of electricity.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Tidal Energy

Some advantages of tidal energy are:

 Environment-friendly
 A highly predictable energy source
 High energy density
 Operational and maintenance costs are low
 An inexhaustible source of energy

Some of the disadvantages of tidal energy are:

 High tidal power plant construction costs

 Negative influence on marine life forms
 Location limits
 The variable intensity of sea waves

Although not widely used, tidal energy has the potential for future electricity generation.
Among other sources of renewable energy, tidal energy has suffered due to the relatively high
cost and limited availability of sites for construction. However, due to the recent
technological developments indicating that the economic and environmental costs can be
brought down to competitive levels, there seems to be a bright future for tidal energy
generation.

Types
During the high tide the water will flow from open water to enclosed basin

During the high tide the water will flow from enclosed basin to open water
Methods For Generating Tidal Energy
[Click Here for Sample Questions]

Tidal energy can be generated by the following methods.

 Tidal Stream Generator: The moving water, depending upon its velocity, is used by
such kinds of generators to generate electricity. The places like bridges that can
capture the high velocity of the running water are used for installing the generators.
 Dynamic Tidal Power: It works on the phenomenon which involves the usage of
long dams built from coastal regions to that of the oceans.
  Tidal Barrage: This directly involves the use of the high and the low tides with the
help of recurring potential energy. In this, the water is channeled out via the dams
during the high tides and this potential energy which is stored, later, gets converted
into electricity.
 Tidal Lagoon: This involves the development of the proper artificial infrastructure in
terms of the circular retaining walls. These walls are installed with the turbines to
store the potential energy.

The three main components of a tidal power plant are :

1. The power house

2. The dam (barrage) to form basin
3. Sluice ways from the basin to the sea and vice versa.

Figure A

The function of the dam is to form a barrier between the sea and the basin.

The sluice ways are used either to fill the basin during high tide or empty the basin during the
low tide.

A tidal power plant based on single basin system is shown in Figure A. Here the power house
is situated at the mouth of basin. The hydraulic turbine in the power house only operates
during the discharge of water from the basin during ebb tide. During the high tide the basin is
again filled. The main disadvantage is that the system's operation is intermittent in nature.

However, we also have double cycle system in which the power generation is affected during
the ebb as well as in flood tides as shown in Figure B.

The direction of flow through the turbine during the ebb and flood tides alternates and
generation of power is accomplished, both during the emptying and filling cycle of basin.

Though the double cycle system has only short duration interruptions in turbine generator
operation, but the continuous power generation is still not possible. Further, the power
generation coincides occasionally with the peak power demands. This problem is overcome
in double-basin system described below.
Figure B

 Tidal Power Plant-Double Basin System :

This system has two basins at different levels and a dam is provided in between these basins
as shown in Figure C. Inlet and outlet sluice gates are provided in the dam.

Figure C

The water level in upper basin is maintained above the level of water in the lower basin.

The upper basin is filled with water during high tide and lower basin is emptied during the
low tide. Therefore, a permanent head is created between the upper and lower basins.

When sufficient head is developed, the turbines of the power plant are started. The water
flows down from upper basin to the turbine which discharges into the lower basin. Thus the
electrical power is generated.

When the water level in upper basin is maximum during high tide the inlet sluice is closed
and the level of water in lower basin keeps on rising due to discharge of water by the turbine.
When the level of water in lower basin equals during the ebb tide, the outlet sluice is opened
and it is closed when the water level reaches to its minimum level, equal to the level of water
in upper basin. Again the inlet sluice is opened and the cycle is repeated.

The advantage of this system is that the power can be generated continuously during
discharge and filling of basins. However, in this method also the power generated may not
coincide with peak load demand. This problem can be overcome by pumping water by other
means from lower basin to upper basin during peak power demands.